ColliesHorsesArtLove

Soleil ~ Another Pic

Here's another picture of Blondie that I thought was pretty. I love her smooshy muzzle.

Soleil & Ty ~ 10 Months

Sue Larson was here today so I could head trim her Jif and she could also take pictures of the puppies. It was about 113 degrees here today so we weren't outside very long. Anyway, thanks Sue! She really enjoyed Soleil ~ Ty was a little less animated ~ poor boy! 

Here's Squishy pictures for Jolene!!!

Horse Tradin' & Training

T & I had to make a decision on Shahara this last month. It's actually been in the making and we're very sad about it. We've had her for 11 months and she hasn't shown a heat enough to get bred. Long story short, we've returned her to the ranch we got her from and are trading her for another mare named Aura. She is actually one of the mares I was seriously considering last year. She is very smooth moving, and certainly very pretty, but I ended up with Shahara because she just took my breath away. She still does so we're very sad. But, I am not into breeding animals that have to require extra work & money as I think we're missing the point in having hardy stock. When I had Ali'i's mom whom I leased, she came in season, we bred her, she had a baby....wow.......that seems what animals should do.

This is Aura from last year 

This is T with her on Father's Day. After she ran around at high speed, snorting & prancing, she was in our face for petting. She is very sweet and seems to flirt with the stallions even if it's wrong. We are now just waiting for her to come into heat which should be soon. Once she's confirmed pregnant we'll bring her home.

Awwwwhhhhhhh........all the animals love T.

On to yesterday where I decided to send my little baby boy Ali'i in training for 2 months with Janine Esler. I want some more "detail" on him, to get him to drop his head more, round his back, and move out in a faster walk and extended trot. She also will ride a 50 miler in the fall with me to help me during the race. The last one we did was hard and I'm sure my form, nor his was very pretty.

I hate to think what Sabi and Tahoe think....one gone on Sunday, another on Tuesday. Don't worry boys, you're grandfathered in to stay!!

This is Ali'i from '06 at Thousand Island Lake in the Minarets. He was just broke about 90 days when I went on this trip with Brian. We went thru a lot of rough riding, slipping off of rocks, getting stupidly tangled up with the other horse and the usual river & bridge crossings. Ali'i just took everything in stride like he'd done it his whole life. I love him.

This looks easier than it really was. There were fallen down trees in the water and a drop off very close to us that we almost took an underwater dive in. Just getting him ready for Tevis.....before we die....we're doing it!!!!!

What's up with the face????

Bandit says "Bye for now!"

Our Little House (On The Prairie) With The Humongo Garage!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Bachelorette ~ Another Amazing Episode

Here's Kristen Baldwin's recap from last night: Ed Man Walking

This woman should win a prize for her column! I laugh hard every time I read it.

If you click on her links also, they are funny. If you watched last night's episode click on her "things" link when she's talking about Ed.

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20285339,00.html

Woofstock KC ~ Yeah ~ Pictures!!!!!

Here's Tirzah with Marcia Bittner. She just loved her face, made mention several times how pretty she was. I told her she should like her because she gave her Best of Breed at Sierra Nevada Collie Club in '07 with a fairly big entry. This picture looks like she has tiny eyes ~ she must have been squinting!

Here's Ty. He looks so fluffy to me for 9 months! It must have been because I was set up next to my new OES friend Marilyn and she lent me her ratting comb! Oh wait ~ this was on Thursday, that was on Sun....so.....he's just fluffy!!!!!

Tirzah with Joan Zelinski. We all look so vibrant in this photo!!

This is Soleil. She was so much better in the ring this day since Tony took her for a big run beforehand. Blondie started barking in Winners and the judge walked up laughing and said I wasn't feeding her fast enough! She is VERY bad!!!!!!

It looks like we forgot the ratting brush for this picture. I love this background. What a fun show to go too. It was called "Woofstock". On this day, a lot of people showed up in tie-dye clothes, wigs & headbands. They had '60's music going all day, which was really fun. Every day we got a shiny necklace with peace signs on them for Breed. I have all the colors now. Next year, I think I'll dress up except I do have that ugly paisley skirt on in this picture.

I have several more pictures, especially of Tirzah, but I'd be scanning all day.....so bye for now!

Dirty Squishy ~ And He Knew It!!!

I put Ty in the bathroom while I went in the other room to grab the dog bath mat and when I came back in he was waiting for me in the tub. What a good boy!! They had pork neck bones last night and he was disgusting!!! Cell phone photo! It looks like I did the "Watercolor" treatment on it in Photoshop.

Miniscule ~ Worms In Love

 

Aaawwwwwwhhhhhhhh.........my brother told me about these You-Tube videos. I like this one ~ especially the kissing sounds at the end.

The Horse Expo ~ Funna Funna

This is the third year T and I have gone to the Horse Expo in Sacramento. I didn't have any burning need to purchase anything for my horsies, but artwork, if I feel like I can't live without it, I will buy.

I am a serious art snob of mega proportions so things really need to make my heart soar. This artist by the name of Denise R. Banda stopped me very quickly. Her website is www.mountainfeatheroriginals.com.

I bought these tiles for our new tiny guest house. I'll figure out where I'm putting them later, but either in the bathrooms, or in the entry...??? I didn't take them out of the protective covering so forgive me for the bad photos. They gotta stay nice till I unveil them for their permanent homes.

I was making my purchase when I saw this next piece on a shelf standing in beautiful red sand. I thought I was going to cry I love it so much! The woman even gave me some sand when I find my spot for her. 

I love artists who create from their souls and not to try and please a general public. That's my goal...if and when I get back to work. Denise is an inspiration.

After that, and on the way out, we stopped by the Saddlelights booth www.saddlelights.com. The woman Annie Kelly and her sweet mom Margaret (who gave me banana bread and told me she would be my mom too!) remembered Tony & I from last year. I decided to buy one of these saddlelights for when I ever do a race (or train) at night. They attach to the breast collar. VERY COOL!!! 

I debated last year for an hour, so when the price had gone up this year, I decided it was time to make my big purchase. Annie is adorable and I told her she can come up and visit us anytime!!

We saved the best for last....going thru all the living quarters horse trailers because last year we saw the ultimate trailer from Lakota Horse Trailers. We were so disappointed because they weren't there this year and the other manufacturers didn't have what we are dreaming to get one day. Besides that, and the one beautiful chestnut arabian gelding down from Bey Shah in the sale barn.....like, we need another horse.....we had a great time.

Herding Blondie & Squishy

Soleil & Ty passed their Herding Instinct Test today at Jan Shield's place. I figured they would because the family has nice instinct. Soleil was much quieter before hand than I thought she would be, but after a while in with the sheep she started her obnoxious barking. I do think if she would stop that with some training. She wasn't shy about getting some wool in her mouth either. Linda Rorem got the ol' "Get OFF the sheep" rattle thingy thing. Blondie eye-balled that ~ like THAT was obnoxious! 

Here's Soleil going Super Duper Fast!

Ty needed a little more time to warm up to the stock. We tried him on goats which Jan felt would be better for him. After a few minutes he did very nice and was more willing to go in both directions much easier than Soleil. 

Nice hind feet!!

I look like I'm going to crash soon here. I told Linda she needs something for us owners to grab ahold of on her. I might have grabbed on some boobage inadvertently because it's really hard to keep up with her, the dog, the stock & spin around in little circles. One of those darling goats did almost trip me.

Another fun day with the doggies!!